There are many things that occupy our time in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Shopping, baking, decorating, attending parties, sending cards – the list of preparations can seem endless. Once Thanksgiving is over, society tells us to shift right into Christmas without even thinking. Our minds begin to race and we start to stress about getting everything done and worry that we will run out of time. We become preoccupied and can easily lose sight of how we should approach this time of year.
While the above tasks are an important part of the season and help bring us together with family and friends, we must remember that the weeks prior to Christmas are not about these physical preparations. Our main priority, and where most of our attention and energy should be focused, is our spiritual preparation. The season of Advent is a time to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of the Lord. Not only for the anniversary of the Lord’s birth, but also for the second coming of Christ at the end of time. The part of Advent that emphasizes the second coming can sometimes be overlooked but we do ourselves a disservice by experiencing the season without this important aspect. Celebrating His birth and recalling that our Lord became flesh and entered into our world reminds us of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and His continuous presence in our lives. Through these truths, we realize that even though He no longer walks among us, He has not abandoned us and will come again to judge the living and the dead. As Pope John Paul II stated during a general audience in December 2002, “Advent is a period of intense training that directs us decisively to the One who has already come, who will come, and who continuously comes”.
So how do we keep our focus and make sure that this season of anticipation does not get derailed by our busy lives? How do we help our family, especially our children, along the way? We can participate in the traditional aspects of Advent such as lighting Advent candles and reflecting on the daily gospel readings. Both are part of our family’s Advent activities. Each night at dinner, we light the candles in our Advent wreath and then read and discuss the reflection for that day. This has become something we look forward to and has sparked many good conversations about God and our faith. For children, the great focus tends to be on the big day and all of the wonderful joys that come with experiencing Christmas as a child. We must, however, help them reflect and understand that Christmas is about more than just presents. Charitable giving and service toward others provide great examples to help in their understanding. My family is very blessed to be part of a parish and school community that offers many great opportunities to assist others and we talk to our kids about our service and charitable giving while encouraging them to participate. Even though we struggle financially and have limited time, they understand that we make it a family priority to help and provide for others. Prayer should also be an essential part of our spiritual preparation. Individually and as a family, we should strive to increase our time in prayer. We can do this by adding morning or evening prayers, if we do not currently offer those as part of our daily spiritual lives. We can also make good use of the time we spend waiting during this time of year – in line at a store, for a table at a restaurant or for the cookies to finish baking. Rather than getting anxious, we can instead spend this time in prayer by offering thanks for all that we have and for the blessings God has provided.
Advent should not be time of stress, anxiety or to do lists. It should be a time of joy, hope and love. It is a time to grow closer to Christ and thank God for the gift of His son. It is a time for spiritual renewal, to renew our lives in Christ and make room for Him in our hearts and in our lives. As we go through the next couple of weeks, let us refocus our attention on the true meaning of the season and prepare our hearts and minds for the joy of Christmas. As we wait in joyful anticipation let us pray – Come, Lord Jesus, Come!